DATE: December 9, 2025
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Sanja K. Bugay, Director, Department of Social Services
SUBJECT: Fresno County Transitional Youth Shelter Resolution
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Adopt a resolution to appoint the Board of Supervisors to serve as the governing body of Fresno County’s Transitional Shelter Care Facility (TrSCF); Designate administrators for the County’s TrSCF; and Delegate the Director of Social Services to serve as the Executive Director for the Transitional Shelter Care Facility to maintain ongoing operations of the facility;
2. Approve the Signing by each Member of the Board of Supervisors of the LIC 9165 Form Required by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), Community Care Licensing Division (CCLD) for the Licensure of the Fresno County Transitional Youth Shelter facility on the Heritage Center as a Transitional Shelter Care Facility; Authorize new Members of the Board of Supervisors to sign the LIC 9165 upon taking office so long as the Board of Supervisors continues to serve as the governing body of the Fresno County Transitional Youth Shelter;
3. Accept the Publication 326, Facts You Need to Know, Group Home Board of Directors;
4. Approve and authorize the County’s Transitional Shelter Care Facility’s emergency intervention plan;
5. Approve and authorize the County’s Transitional Shelter Care Facility’s operating budget;
6. Approve the written statement that describes the duties delegated to the administrator;
7. Approve and authorize the Plan of Operation of the County’s Transitional Shelter Care Facility.
REPORT
There is no increase in Net County Cost (NCC) associated with the recommended actions. Approval of the recommended actions numbered one through seven are required to meet the operating standards set forth by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Community Care Licensing Division (CCLD) for a Transitional Shelter Care Facility (TrSCF). The actions presented are necessary to move the existing licensed operations of the County’s Transitional Shelter Care Facility from the UMC Campus (Mod C) to the Behavioral Health Heritage Center. CDSS requires Board oversight and approval of the shelter’s policies, procedures, and operations to acquire licensure in a new location.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should your Board not approve the recommended actions, the County’s TrSCF cannot attain licensure for the new facility. The Department would continue to use strategies and practices to locate limited placement resources for youth, as well as continue using Mod C on a month-to-month basis. However, the Mod C building is no longer County-Owned, and the existing lease only allows continued use on a month-to-month term, as use of facilities was expected to be short-term. Due to this, situations may continue that require youth to be placed in an unlicensed facility which is in violation of Health and Safety Code (HSC) Section 1503.5 and 1508, and the County may be subject to a civil penalty of $200 or $1,000 per day of the violation at the discretion of CDSS in accordance with HSC Section 1547.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. Sufficient appropriations for the operational and administrative costs of the Fresno County Transitional Youth Shelter are included in the Org 5610 FY 2025-26 Recommended Budget and will be included in future budget requests.
DISCUSSION:
While The Department is currently operating a licensed TrSCF at Mod C, operations will need to be relocated, as the location has been purchased by a third-party. Operations will continue at Mod C on a month-to-month basis until new licensure is obtained for the Heritage Center. Licensure cannot be transferred across locations, requiring the full licensure process to be completed for the Heritage Center in order to operate in accordance with CDSS’ TrSCF Operating Standards. All requirements included in this item are the same requirements the Board completed for the existing license.
On February 25, 2025, your Board approved the Department’s request to submit a new TrSCF license application to the CDSS. The application will be submitted upon the completion of the Heritage Center’s permitting and the approval of this Board Item. The Department has been working closely with the CDSS to ensure all necessary components of the TrSCF are met. One remaining component is to designate a governing body to provide oversight of the TrSCF.
The Operating Standards, Chapter 12 developed by CDSS for TrSCFs state that for county operated TrSCF, the Board of Supervisors of the County shall serve as the “governing body” or “board of directors” of the facility. The governing body is responsible for the review and approval of the shelter’s policies, procedures, and operations. The first recommended action brings forth a resolution that will designate the Board of Supervisors to serve as the governing body for the new location of Fresno County’s TrSCF. The Board of Supervisors may, at any time, appoint no fewer than three individuals to serve as the governing body if the Board of Supervisors no longer wants to serve in that role. Should your Board elect to appoint delegates to serve as the governing body, the Department will bring forth an item for your Board’s consideration and approval.
The Board members are required to receive the Publication 326, Facts You Need To Know, Group Home Board of Directors, and review and sign the Board of Director Statement (LIC 9165) which indicates that the member(s) have reviewed and understand the duties and obligations of the governing body and the regulations that are enforced by CDSS.
As a practical matter, the Operating Standards, Chapter 12 allows the governing body to assign day-to-day activities to a staff member, occasionally called an Executive Director. While some important decisions and duties may be delegated, those decisions must be reviewed and approved by the governing body. The fourth recommended action asks your Board to delegate the Director of Social Services to serve as the Executive Director for the TrSCF to maintain ongoing operations. The delegation will allow the Director to adopt policies and procedures that affect the day-to-day decision making and operational management to effectuate policies and procedures outlined in the County’s TrSCF Plan of Operation. The adoption of any changes affecting the County’s TrSCF Plan of Operation will later be brought to the Board for approval.
In accordance with the Transitional Shelter Care Facility Operating Standards provided by CDSS CCLD, administrators shall perform the following duties:
1. Direction and evaluation of a transitional shelter care facility within the limits of the functions and policies established by the licensee.
2. Assist in the preparation of the facility's budget and management of expenditures according to the facility's budget limitations.
3. Organization of the work of the facility and delegation of responsibility to staff members and contractors.
4. Assessment of the facility operations and program; and reporting to the licensee and making recommendations to address identified problems.
5. Recruitment, appointment, evaluation and termination of staff.
6. Recruitment, selection, and evaluation of contractors to provide care, supervision, and services to clients of the facility, and initiation of termination of contracts.
7. Development of a plan for the orientation, development and training of staff, as specified in Section 86665(t).
8. Review of complaints made by children or their authorized representative(s) as specified in Section 86672.2(a), and deciding upon the action to be taken to handle the complaint.
Approval of Rita Bohannon, Marshunda Harding, Danielle Nieto, Jessica Carrillo, Janya Tyler, and Camille Wilson as administrators for Fresno County Transitional Youth Shelter will allow Fresno County to be in accordance with TrSCF operating standards and move forward with official licensure for Fresno County Transitional Youth Shelter.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #5, February 25, 2025
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Resolution
On file with Clerk - LIC 9165
On file with Clerk - LIC 308
On file with Clerk - Publication 326
On file with Clerk - Plan of Operation
On file with Clerk - Operating Budget
On file with Clerk - Written Statement of Duties for the Administrator
CAO ANALYST:
Amina Flores-Becker